Chapter Three

"I'm sorry!" I said somewhat breathlessly. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Rosalie looked unsurprised. Her gaze slid over me, taking in my changed appearance. Her scrutiny, as well as her presence, made me feel overheated and a little off balance.

She was walking a dog which looked like a great Dane. It was so young, it was only a puppy with very large paws and silky fur.

Rosalie's feet were bare, like mine, her long green dress moved around her body in the wind, exentuating her lithe curves. Her hair was tousled now, the blond strands illuminating her vivid blue eyes, throwing them into startling prominence.

"Hi," she smiled. "You're done with work for the day?" her soft, slightly husky voice was sensual.

It sent a flutter through my belly. I nodded.

"Yes, thank god." I said, disgruntled.

Rosalie chuckled at my candour.

"You hate it." She observed.

I nodded. "It feel like its suffocating me." The wind tossed my hair playfully around my face. I raked my fingers through it, pulling it off my face.

"How do you find L.A?" She asked.

"I love it." I told her, my awe for this huge sprawling city shining through in my tone.

"Are you a born and bred angeleno?"

Rosalie shook her head.

"No, I moved here many years ago, same as you. It takes some getting used to, but before you know it you're hooked and its under your skin."

Without agreeing to do so, we began ambling along the beach together.

"What do you write?" She asked quite out of the blue, as if she'd been dying to ask that particular question.

I glanced at her, feeling a bit shy of explaining my desire to be a romance author. It was so cliché.

"I write anything, really." I dodged. "I love making words fit together, the poetry of it makes me happy."

Rosalie smiled and nodded before she turned her gaze away from me towards the beach, her expression unreadable.

"Would you be interested in doing some freelance work?" She said at last.

My heart skipped a beat. This the moment I'd been waiting for.

"Yes!" I said a bit too fast.

I was going for cool and collected and I sounded anything but. After all, a bit of caution would probably be a good idea. I knew nothing about this woman, except that I found her beautiful.

"I own a company which runs articles and adverts regularly and I need a copywriter for that. I've been doing it myself up until now, but I have too many commitments and I can't keep up with it all."

Happiness choked me. This was the break I'd been looking for! She truly was an angel.

"I'm not qualified." I warned her.

Rosalie smiled in response and my belly fluttered. I couldn't look away. She was so stunningly beautiful that the incredible scenery faded to black.

"If you can write, I can teach you the rest." She sounded so self assured. "Do you have anything I can have a look at, to gauge your style?"

I pulled myself together.

"Yes, I have some pieces at home, can I bring them to you? Tomorrow maybe?"

Rosalie paused for a moment. "Where are you staying?"

I told her the address. She didn't react, even though I knew it wasn't the best neighbourhood. I felt a little embarrassed.

"It's not far, why don't I come with you now?" She suggested.

My belly did a double flip flop. Rosalie was coming home with me. Although, of course, it didn't mean what my hopelessly excited body wished it did. This was all happening so fast my head was spinning.

The pup sniffed my hand and I allowed it to scent my fingers before petting its sleek dark head.

Rosalie led me to a bench along the promenade, where her shoes were discarded. She slipped them on and waited for me to take the lead.

Despite what she'd said, it was a twenty minute walk to my apartment. Her presence beside me made me feel excited and as awkward as hell. We spoke about random things while we walked and Rosalie pointed out landmarks and told me quaint stories about some of the buildings.

Rosalie was less than impressed with my bedsit. I knew this instinctively, although she gave nothing away outwardly. She was as out of place in my tiny apartment, as a bird of paradise in a hen house. I rifled through my papers until I found a piece I'd written a year ago in the hopes of getting a new job which didn't pan out. I'd hung onto it because it was one of the best short stories I'd ever written, in my opinion. Sick with nerves, I watched Rosalie skim through the document. Her puppy, who's name was Dobby, lay at her feet, his floppy ears alert while his intelligent eyes followed Rosalie's every movement. I waited with bated breath for her opinion. At last her breathtaking eyes lifted to mine and my heart missed a beat in response. I was so grateful she wasn't aware of the effect she had on me.

"This is really good." She said at long last.

I flushed with pleasure at her words.

"I can offer you the job - but there's a catch."

My heart soared and then took a nosedive.

"What is it?" I prompted, half terrified that this would be a deal breaker. Something I couldn't live with.

Rosalie's enigmatic gaze watched me closely, a small smile playing around the edges of her lips.

"It's a live-in position." I stared at her dumbfounded. It was like my prayers were being answered - all at once.

"Live in? What does that mean? Where would I live?" I asked.

Rosalie leaned back against the small makeshift desk, her emotions unreadable, her gaze intensely interested.

"You'd live on my property, in a cottage and you'd work in my house. That's where I run the charity from. I'd need you on call."

I felt deep excitement, this was a dream come true! I nodded, because my voice failed me.

"So it's a charity." I mused at last.

She nodded. "I think its important to give back. It's my baby and it holds a very special place in my heart. There will be a lot to learn, but if you apply yourself you'll be fine."

A part of me was suspicious.

"Why me?" I asked, maybe I was missing something.

She paused as if measuring her words, "I believe in things happening for a reason. I needed someone to help me at the exact time I met you. Maybe it's fate. I don't want to question it."

I smiled at her softly, I was in awe of her serenity and purpose. Rosalie embodied everything I admired.

I was starstruck, fangirling hard but unable to show it.

Rosalie would be my boss and this made her completely off limits.

She held out her hand to me, offering to shake on our deal. Her eyebrows rose ever so slightly and her full lips twitched, as she waited for my response. I suddenly realised I hadn't said anything yet.

Slowly I reached for her offered hand. I was hesitant to touch her due to my unprecedented reaction to her, even from a safe distance.

This was probably a very bad idea.

I had no wish to out myself. But there was no alternative. I could hardly refuse to shake her hand. That would look incredibly strange.

I glanced at Dobby and for the first time noticed a thin gold band on her left hand, half hidden under the leather lead which was wrapped around her palm.

She was married!

Our right hands met and it was worse than I imagined. There was a shock of electricity, a shimmer across my skin which shot up my arm and straight into my heart.

I gasped softly and her gaze flew to mine. Her skin was super soft and supple, like fine velvet, her nails well manicured and short. I shook her hand firmly and briefly before dropping it a little too fast.

She watched me closely, enigmatic and all knowing. Her gaze made me uncomfortable in a good way.

My gasp had been barely discernible and I fervently hoped she hadn't heard it. I cleared my throat softly to try and cover my lapse.

"So, we have a deal?" Rosalie asked when I still said nothing.

"Yes." I replied at last, emphatically, my voice breaking ever so slightly.

This woman effectively reduced me to a pile of gibberish speaking goo. It didn't bode well for my future as her employee.

"My friends call me Rose," she told me as she turned to leave.

I glowed at her words. Any kind of familiarity with her was a good thing.

"Goodnight Isabelle." She said as she tossed a smile over her shoulder.

"It's Izzy." I told her with a wide grin, I felt ecstatic.

Dobby whined as if in farewell and I laughed, delighted.

"Goodnight." I replied to them both, I was as giddy as a teenager. Rosalie left me soon afterwards with directions to her house and orders to quit my coffee shop job as soon as possible.

I was still staring at the door long after she'd left, her energy permeated the room. I sat down, dazed, and wondered if I'd dreamed the entire thing.